Donate » How I Can Help
How I Can Help
-Double The Value of Your Donation
-Planned Giving - Meet Someone Special
What about the possibility of helping a child say their first word or take their first step, or help an adult in crisis overcome personal challenges? You can do this by donating to The Option Institute. There are many ways to give.
Every day we purchase various items, oftentimes without noticing how much we are actually spending. Here are some fun numbers to consider.
- $75 = By passing on going out for just one dinner, you can give a once-a-year gift to help someone dealing with the loss of a loved one.
- $200 = Pick up that book you've been meaning to finish, donate the cost of just one weekly movie rental for a year, and help someone learn to be more comfortable in their life.
- $500 = Bring your lunch one day a week for a year instead of eating out. Just this one change could help fund scholarships for a couple of people to come to The Option Institute and learn to let go of their anger.
- $1,000 = Get your energy from our books, CDs and DVDs…give up that second daily latte from your favorite coffeehouse. In return, you contribute to helping people overcome the aftermath of abusive relationships.
- $1,825 = Start a New Habit! Give to The Option Institute instead of smoking a pack a day, and help up to a half-dozen people move past depression or anxiety.
- $2,500 = What do you currently spend $50 a week on that instead could be spent to help persons with serious life challenges?
- $5,000 = Sound like too much? Break it down into payments over the year -- It's only $416 per month, and could provide scholarships for as many as 15 people to attend programs.
- $100,000-$200,000= Hold off on that purchase of a luxury sedan, get a hefty tax write-off, and help up to 100 people receive full or partial scholarships to attend programs and change their lives for the better.
- $1,000,000 =In a position to make a truly lasting impact on the world? This donation would enable over 1000 people in need of a helping hand to make their lives brighter. People dealing with the challenges of grief, anger, anxiety, troubled relationships, even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, perhaps in someone who has served overseas under conditions of war.
Thanks to a scholarship, I was able to attend 3 programs. I am a much stronger person now and have endless motivation and energy for the challenged children and parents with whom I work as a Physiotherapist. I'm very, very thankful to have learned at The Option Institute what is really important for my life and how to create my own happiness! To the donors, all I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you!
Nicky Babitsch, Physical Therapist, Germany
Double The Value of Your Donation!
Many companies offer matching gift programs to encourage employees to contribute to charitable organizations. Most of these programs match contributions dollar for dollar, and some will even double or triple the amount of your gift!
If your company has a matching gift program, obtain a matching gift form and program guidelines from your human resources office.
Fill in the Employee section of the form and send it to The Option Institute along with your donation or, if you've made your contribution online, simply complete the form and mail it to:
The Option Institute
Development Department
2080 S. Undermountain Road
Sheffield, MA 01257-9643
We will complete the form and forward it to your employer's matching gifts office for processing. The company will send its matching donation directly to The Option Institute.
For your convenience you may call or email our development department with your company's name to find out if your company has a matching gift program.
Contact: (413) 229-2100 or email cullett@option.org
Planned Giving
Create a Legacy.
From a donor's perspective, planned giving is attractive for many reasons, often allowing for larger gifts than could otherwise be made out of current assets. The Option Institute International Learning & Training Center invites you to consider planned giving. It is a thoughtful way to combine your estate planning and your desire to help families of children with special needs, and individuals across the globe, overcome challenges and improve the quality of their lives.
Helen Fox - Someone Special!
Helen Fox was the sweetest person - a wonderful feisty woman who lived well into her 90's, with an easy smile and an absolute passion for The Option Institute. Helen never attended a program at The Option Institute. She became interested in The Son-Rise Program after "adopting" the family of a child with special needs. Because of her love for this family and the tools we teach, Helen became a champion ambassador for The Option Institute. She proudly wore a silver pendant around her neck that she had specially made that says, "Happiness is a Choice."
She welcomed opportunities to tell everyone she came in contact with about The Option Institute. Helen once told her dentist, "Don't charge me too much; I have to help autistic children." He didn't charge her anything, and another donation was on its way to help the Institute in our work with children with special needs. Helen wanted to give a bigger gift to the Institute than she was able to do during her lifetime, so she made The Option Institute a beneficiary in her will.
You see, to Helen Fox, anything was possible - and her generosity gave new meaning to the words, "Where there is a will, there is a way!" The Option Institute received a very significant gift through Helen's estate. Please share our gratitude for this magnificent lady.
